A cup of clear tea and the six rites of apprenticeship formed the master-disciple bond. All personal disciples of the Xuanqing Sect possessed a master-disciple jade token, yet now, his Master intended to return his token to him.
Zhong Wuxi held his breath, staring unblinkingly at Yin Jiuli. “Master, are you expelling me from the sect?”
As dusk fell, the sun sank behind the clouds, and the golden light on Yin Jiuli’s hair faded away. He stood there, white-robed and ink-haired, like a god overlooking the world—beautiful yet untouchable.
Tears rolled down Zhong Wuxi’s cheeks uncontrollably. He lowered his head, staring at the crystal-clear floor. He had been on Jimo Peak for three years—one thousand and ninety-five days. Every day, his Master had built two snowmen with him. How could he just discard him now?
“If you are going to expel me from the sect, you might as well kill me!” Zhong Wuxi wiped away his tears. “I do not want to practice cultivation so hard every day, and I do not want to abstain from grain.”
“The Phantom Silver Fish raised by Senior Brother Sect Leader tastes so good; once I abstain from grain, I will never be able to eat it again.”
“All those Phantom Silver Fish were stolen by Ye Yizhou, not me.”
“I will not.”
“What will you not do? I do not understand. You are expelling me from the sect, and you will not even say a few more words.”
Zhong Wuxi felt dizzy and muddled, his brain in chaos. He did not know what he was saying, but the little creature floated over, grinning and cupping its chubby cheeks, staring at him with bright eyes. He was crying so miserably, yet the little creature was not sad at all. Zhong Wuxi became even more heartbroken, glaring at the creature through teary eyes. “We have been together for three years, and you do not care about me at all. I was wondering when I would get to see you.”
“I will not kill you.”
“You are expelling me from the sect; how is that any different from killing me!” Zhong Wuxi lunged forward, stubbornly hugging Yin Jiuli’s leg. “Only today did I realize why Jimo Peak is covered in snow year-round. It is because I am more wronged than Dou E, and the snow of Jimo Peak is crying out for justice on my behalf!”
The little disciple was crying like a kitten. Yin Jiuli raised his hand and patted the kitten’s head.
“I will not expel you from the sect.”
“But you must be obedient.”
“I am not being obedient!” Zhong Wuxi wiped his tears. “If I were obedient, I would have been expelled from the sect already. I do not believe such lies used to trick children.”
A soft chuckle sounded by his ear. Zhong Wuxi paused and looked up, tears still clinging to his eyelashes.
“Master, did you laugh?”
Yin Jiuli glanced at him coldly. “No.”
“You clearly laughed but will not admit it.” Zhong Wuxi was deeply saddened. “A teacher for a day is a father for life, but in your eyes, I am always an outsider.”
“I have never discarded you.”
“I will not expel you from the sect.”
Yin Jiuli bent down and took the jade token from the kitten’s hand. The kitten wiped his tears, stood up, and glared at the token. Yin Jiuli paused and put the token into his qiankun bag. The kitten’s gaze landed on the bag, continuing to glare fiercely.
The boy had been crying muddledly a moment ago, but now he was sharp-eyed, just like a little cat. Yin Jiuli took the token back out and tied it to his waist. The kitten immediately turned to stare at the token.
“Master, if you lose the token while bathing or changing, will I not be expelled from the sect again?”
Yin Jiuli extended his hand. “You do it.”
Zhong Wuxi dared not take the jade token from his Master’s hand, but he could not think of a way to permanently weld the token to his Master’s body. He simply pretended to be sleepy and lay down on the floor to play dead beside the little creature.
Yin Jiuli cast a spell; the jade token glowed with a faint white light and transformed into a pendant. Zhong Wuxi climbed up from the floor to see his Master crouching before him, holding the pendant.
Zhong Wuxi was stunned. “Disciple does not quite understand your meaning, Master.”
Yin Jiuli pointed at the pendant in his hand, then pointed at himself.
Zhong Wuxi was completely bewildered. His Master actually wanted to wear the master-disciple jade token around his neck! He bit his lip, feeling like the little creature, so happy he could fly!
With a complex mixture of caution, excitement, and admiration, Zhong Wuxi solemnly hung the jade pendant around his Master’s ethereal neck. Yin Jiuli stood up, but the little disciple suddenly grabbed his hem with an annoyed look on his face, muttering, “I should check it to be sure. What if the string breaks at a touch?”
Yin Jiuli glanced at the ruffled young boy and raised his hand to cast a barrier.
“Those who attempt to forcibly remove this object will suffer the backlash of the barrier.”
Zhong Wuxi finally felt at ease. In truth, being transmigrated into a child’s body was not so bad; by crying and making a fuss, he had finally made his Master take back the master-disciple jade token.
Yin Jiuli conjured a handkerchief. “From now on, you must be obedient.”
“I listen to everything Master says, but Master must not expel me from the sect.” Zhong Wuxi took the handkerchief to wipe his tear-streaked face and spoke cautiously, “Disciple still wishes to reach Foundation Establishment.”
“Six months.”
“This disciple obeys!” Zhong Wuxi agreed happily. Six months was not too long, and he needed the time to adapt to his body after being tempered by the Dragon Bone Grass.
Zhong Wuxi performed a low-level cleaning spell. “Does Master have any other instructions for this disciple?”
“Do not leave the peak for five years.”
“Five years…” Zhong Wuxi counted on his fingers. “A year has three hundred sixty-five days; five years is one thousand eight hundred twenty-five days, twelve hours every day. This is too long.”
“It is not long; it is not long at all.” He looked away guiltily to avoid his Master’s gaze, but leaned back in a moment later. “Master, if you had really expelled me from the sect today, would you have been sad?”
“No.”
Zhong Wuxi felt like crying again. “How can you be like this? Would you not be sad at all?”
“The path of sentiment involves feelings for all living things in the world, unbiased and equal; the path of heartlessness involves no feelings for all living things, unrestrained and free.”
“Seek your own immortal fate, guard your own dao heart; both lead to the Dao.”
Zhong Wuxi supported his chin, observing his Master, the immortal in white robes and ink-black hair. “Could it be that some wild mountain monster has transformed into my Master to tease me? Master has never spoken so many words before.”